Our physical body is a gift from God. David does not himself seek revenge, but he requests God to apply the principle of retribution to his foes. Ps. ; 2:1ff. All over the web you see people writing blasphemous things about Christ and when the time comes they’re going to wish they had a time machine. 140:12). While God is a God of wrath, He is also a God of mercy. 20:12-15). Peter pronounced sentence on Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5:1-11). By giving up vengeance we free ourselves to love and to forgive in a way that we cannot produce in and of ourselves. They have engaged in character-assassination. 100 Bible Verses about Punishment. They seem to leave a blank, as it were, for the insertion of your own personal name.” Bernhard W. Anderson, Out of the Depths, p. 60. These verses describe the three characteristics of the wicked which have caused the psalmist great consternation: (1) their well-being or their “shalom” (vv. David has thus asked no more than for God to do as He has promised and as the wicked deserve. B. Payne, “The Book of Psalms,” The Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1975, 1976), vol. "Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold, And see the reward of the wicked." 192 After surveying the possibilities for identifying the “enemies” referred to in the imprecatory psalms, Anderson has some excellent concluding remarks: “None of these interpretations is completely satisfactory. (9) While the prayers of David are severe, his personal actions toward his enemies was gracious and kind. Others like Psalm 91 are comforting. 6ff.). Browse more Bible verses about hell in the collection of scripture quotes below: ... 17 The wicked go down to the realm of the dead, all the nations that forget God. 183 In a more secular sense an imprecation is a curse on one’s enemies. Suppose for a moment that Saul might have been the subject of Psalm 109. Since the wicked love to curse, let cursing come to them (v. 17a). 16, cf. ... from the Authorized King James Version of the Bible). It is true, I suspect, that Perowne is correct when he writes, “In the awfulness of its anathemas, the Psalm [109] surpasses everything of the kind in the Old Testament.”196 Because of its fierceness, some scholars such as Kittel have gone so far as to speak of this psalm as containing “… utterly repulsive maledictions inspired by the wildest form of vengeance, which make this one of the most questionable hymns of cursing.”197 Kittel therefore ascribes all of the psalm to “carnal passion that is utterly inexcusable.”198. 19 Let it be to him as a garment with which he covers himself, And for a belt with which he constantly girds himself. To be hard on sin is to hinder its growth, not only in the lives of others but in our own as well. We are soft on sin. 193 “The singular (‘over him’ &c.), which now takes the place of the plural, may be collective, the Psalmist’s enemies being regarded as a whole; or distributive, each one of the mass being singled out: but more probably it fastens upon the leader of the gang (v. 2) upon whom rests the real guilt. We will strive to understand the purpose of such prayers, and the principles which underly them, that apply equally to the saints today. What I want to stress is how seldom the sin of backbiting is included in those lists. Leviticus 5:17 sin law. 60-67) are excellent. The Psalmist asks God why the wicked prosper and the righteous suffer. 3:8-10), so the very severity with which the psalmist spoke may have shocked some of the wicked into facing the seriousness of their sin and turning them to repentance. The three examples cited by St. Peter show that the Lord knows (and with the Lord knowledge involves power) how to deliver the righteous and to punish the wicked. David is innocent, yet his enemies have accused him of wrong-doing. 201 There are many explanations for the “severity” of the imprecatory psalms. God offers mercy and forgiveness to all, but He also promises justice and judgment to all who reject His Son. Hence, we should take care of it by having a good rest. Colossians 3:25 - But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons. Joseph Hammond entitled “An Apology for the Vindictive Psalm,” contained in the Expositor, vol. Happy New Year: Past, Present, and Future Perspectives, A Psalm for All Seasons: Studies in the Book of Psalms. As long as we retain in Christian worship material which breathes a spirit of aggression, self-assertion and vengeance, we are contradicting our faith. They are not to be compared with the self-complacency of the Pharisee, who prides himself on his superiority to the rest of the world, but with St Paul’s assertions of conscious rectitude (Acts xx. There are good reasons for this. Psalm 109 is very troubling to most because it is perhaps the strongest imprecatory183 psalm in the psalter. Let their men also be smitten to death, their young men struck down by the sword in battle. Jer. There is no room for repaying evil with evil. Thankfully there are bible verses about evildoers we can learn from. May an outcry be heard from their houses, when Thou suddenly bringest raiders upon them; for they have dug a pit to capture me and hidden snares for my feet. 139:23-24). 4-5); (2) their wickedness (vv. I think we have become entangled in a satanic conspiracy. The Jewish religious system had set aside this law, replacing the truth with their own traditions. David makes his petition to God as one who is dependent on Him for righteousness (cf. The biblical age seems to have been quite a brutal time in human history. 3 They have also surrounded me with words of hatred, And fought against me without cause. With such contradictory elements in our worship, we shall not be surprised that the spread of Christianity is slow. And who knows the ruin that comes from both of them? First, God is a God who is characterized by “lovingkindness” (vv. in 1971. In this context and many others, their guilt is the offense of the tongue. Bible verses about America. 5:5). In praying for the financial ruin of his enemies and their family extinction, David was requesting God to act in accordance with the Mosaic covenant. Jon. We may well wonder that it propagates at all.199. That is why these psalms have been used down through the centuries by suppliants who cry to God out of their concrete situation. 18:19-23; cf. 69:7-9). There are numerous imprecations in the New Testament also, such as that of the saints who were slain for their righteousness: And when He broke the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God, and because of the testimony which they had maintained; and they cried out with a loud voice, saying, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, wilt Thou refrain from judging and avenging our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” (Rev. Now David appeals to God to deal graciously with him on the basis of God’s character and David’s pitiable condition. 23 I am passing like a shadow when it lengthens; I am shaken off like the locust. Imprecations such as those found in Psalm 109 have caused some Christians to question the value of the imprecatory prayers of the Bible for New Testament believers: It is surely a debatable question as to whether the church should retain the whole Psalter in its worship, including these troublesome passages, or whether the Psalter should be censored at those points which seem to be inconsistent with God’s revelation in Jesus Christ. Jb. They breathe the spirit of simple faith and childlike trust, which throws itself unreservedly on God. According to Perowne, there are no less than 30 anathemas pronounced upon David’s enemies in this one psalm.184 David not only seeks the punishment of his enemy but also the painful consequences brought on his family: “Let his children be fatherless, and his wife a widow. v. 44. Saul also received much for which David prayed. Essentially I think the answer is that we have a distorted view of God, perverted by our own sin. Evil shall slay the wicked, And those who hate the righteous will be condemned. 6-9); and (3) their wide-spread popularity (vv. To sing its words was to remind the saints how the godly should respond to sin. 17 He also loved cursing, so it came to him; And he did not delight in blessing, so it was far from him. The Bible teaches us that God is far from the wicked. ; 20:11ff.). 21 But Thou, O GOD, the Lord, deal kindly with me for Thy name’s sake; Because Thy lovingkindness is good, deliver me; 22 For I am afflicted and needy, And my heart is wounded within me. He stooped down, he crouched as a lion, as a lioness. When you think of God’s mercy you automatically think about grace. 5:38-42). But He sets the needy securely on high away from affliction, and makes his families like a flock. Bible verses related to Evil And Wicked People from the King James Version (KJV) by Relevance - Sort By Book Order . My friend, the beautiful message of the Gospel is that the vengeance for which the psalmist prayed need not fall upon you. (Isaiah 63:9; 1 Peter 5: 6, 7) It also reveals his promise of a time when natural disasters will not happen anymore. 1:20) as he did the man living with his father’s wife (1 Cor. (2) The Old Testament saint had a dim picture of the afterlife, thus he was less informed concerning the judgment which will occur after death both for the saved (2 Cor. And let Thine enemies be scattered, and let those who hate Thee flee before Thee” (Num. 5:10) and the unsaved (Rev. The imprecatory psalms were not merely the passionate pleas of one man (spiritually or carnally motivated), but were rather a pattern for the worship of Israel. (NASB). Paul cursed Elymas for resisting the gospel (Acts 13:6-11) and damned any who would pervert it (Gal. Verses 30 and 31 are David’s vow of praise. Imprecations are prayers for the punishment of the wicked. 28:9; Isa. (4) The psalms are not hastily scribbled personal vendettas, but carefully penned poetry. We have adopted the thinking summarized by the expression, “I’m O.K., You’re O.K.” If you will pardon me for doing so, I could entitle Psalm 109, “I’m O.K., but You’re Not.” Such was the conviction of the psalmist. 3:33). Christian Standard Bible The wicked prowl all around, and what is worthless is exalted by the human race. There is no doubt that the Scriptures sees a judgment for the unbelievers in the afterlife. If you afflict him at all, and if he does cry out to Me, I will surely hear his cry; and My anger will be kindled, and I will kill you with the sword; and your wives shall become widows and your children fatherless” (Exod. We want to think of God only in terms of love and mercy, but not in terms of justice and judgment. Hate wickedness Sin Producing Death Self Image. His comments on the imprecatory psalms (pp. The amazing thing is that when we strive to conjure up human feelings of love and forgiveness, we really can’t love or forgive our enemies. (David is not praying that these terrible things will happen to his enemies, only prophesying that they will be punished for their wickedness.) Matt. 107:39-43). There is no escape to wickedness and selfishness. Yet David absolutely refused to take personal revenge, even when he had the opportunity. Rather than show his adversaries mercy, let God deal with them in the light of their own sins, as well as those of their fathers (vv. Let us consider these three characteristics and how they caused Asaph to contemplate a course of action (vv. The psalmist pleads with God to act on the basis of His character (just and righteous), His covenant promises (e.g. Either way, they will get what is coming to them.” God comforts victims with his Word, the Bible. 22:22-24). Since God is the “God of David’s praise” (v. 1), He knows that the punishment of David’s enemies and the rescue of the psalmist will result in praise. 1:15). 11 Let the creditor seize all that he has; And let strangers plunder the product of his labor. The solution was not to separate the sin and the sinner, but to commit both to God. And those who hate the righteous will be condemned. David, like the prophet Jeremiah (Jer. Can you imagine coming together to worship and singing a psalm like Psalm 109? 30 With my mouth I will give thanks abundantly to the LORD; And in the midst of many I will praise Him. Proverbs 17:13 is especially relevant to David’s imprecations in Psalm 109 because it speaks of the penalty borne by those who return evil for good, precisely the sin of David’s foes (Ps. 10 Let his children wander about and beg; And let them seek sustenance far from their ruined homes. - The righteous shall be recompensed in the earth. 26:2). In the Bible an imprecatory prayer is the prayer of a righteous man petitioning God to carry out justice by bringing punishment or destruction upon evildoers, especially those who have mistreated him. 9 Let his children be fatherless, And his wife a widow. He who returns evil for good, evil will not depart from his house (Prov. (4) The words of verses 6-20 are actually the words of David’s enemies, which David quotes as evidence of their evil attacks against him. Let us not leave these introductory verses without learning that those who would pray a prayer similar to David’s must be like David—they must be those who praise God (not just petition Him), and those who are right before God and men. Who will rouse him up? Saul deserved everything for which David prayed. If he has sinned, David asks God to deal with him accordingly: O Lord my God, if I have done this, if there is injustice in my hands, if I have rewarded evil to my friend, or have plundered him who without cause was my adversary, let the enemy pursue my soul and overtake it; and let him trample my life down to the ground, and lay my glory in the dust (Ps. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org. Godly men and women prayed to God about their enemies, and they specified (on the basis of God’s word) what they felt should happen to them. (2) David wrote this psalm but in a carnal state of mind (cf. (NASB). 187 In the introduction to his commentary on the Psalms, Kirkpatrick addresses the subject of the innocence of the psalmists: “Some of these utterances are no more than asseverations that the speaker is innocent of particular crimes laid to his charge by his enemies (vii. When Jesus taught the Sermon on the Mount he was not teaching a new law, but was reiterating what the law had always taught. 1). We “share” the problems of others as prayer requests. America is very evil and it will be punished by God. God knows that money is on our mind a lot. 12:17-21), he uses an Old Testament passage from the Book of Deuteronomy as his proof-text (Rom. 18:5-10; cp. No matter how perplexing the problem of imprecatory psalms may be, we cannot easily dismiss them. Those who make them do not profess to be absolutely sinless, but they do claim to belong to the class of the righteous who may expect God’s favour, and they do disclaim all fellowship with the wicked, from whom they expect to be distinguished in the course of His Providence.” A. F. Kirkpatrick, The Book of Psalms (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House [reprint], 1982), p. lxxxvii. 5 Thus they have repaid me evil for good, And hatred for my love. Acts 1:20). To be soft on sin is to give it a greenhouse in which to grow. 32:5; 51:5). 10:21; Jer. Bible verses about evil women Scripture lets us know to stay away from evil women. The days of his enemy should be few. O God of my praise, Do not be silent! What God taught in principle, He also practiced. - A prudent man foresesth the evil, and hideth himself. 6:9-10). These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”. Bible verses about Wicked. Second, let us give due consideration to the wickedness of David’s enemies, which made them worthy of God’s wrath. Third, since the psalms were intended for general use, David did not identify his enemies so that the righteous could supply the names of their adversaries, so to speak.192. 20 Let this be the reward of my accusers from the LORD, And of those who speak evil against my soul. 18b-19). I believe that Derek Kidner has best captured the essence of this evil by the title, “The Character-Assassin.”189. May we not quickly disregard the stern warning of this psalm. (5) The psalmist claims to be “spiritual” in his petition that God take vengeance on his enemies. It would be interesting to check the responsive readings included in modern hymnals or books of worship, to see the degree to which the Psalms have been edited for Christian worship.185. This freed David from personal vengeance, enabling him to “love his enemies” (cf. Verse (Click for Chapter) ... New Living Translation Just open your eyes, and see how the wicked are punished. The imprecation was based upon the promises of God and upon the evil practices of those who opposed David. Finally be silenced when God knew who it was some experience to gather as a lion ’ intervening! I will praise him his own way s foe would make his wife a widow and the severity God. Berean study Bible you will be the primary instrument of evil is anything that is opposite to will! 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